“Quite out of the question yet,” said the doctor, sharply.
“I don’t mean on duty, Whitney,” said the captain smiling, “but in a cane seat under the awning. It would be brighter and better for him to see the men about.”
“Thank you, sir,” cried Mark, with a smile full of gratitude.
“Oh, that’s different,” said the doctor. “Well, after a few days I’ll have him carried up.”
“Yes,” said the first lieutenant, “and he can lie there and hatch mischief along with Mr Howlett, and play with the monkey. Nice trio.”
“Eh? Oh, yes, by the way, I cannot allow you young gentlemen to have pets of that class on board my ship. You are not schoolboys now. Why, you will be wanting white mice and guinea-pigs next!”
“Shall I have the animal thrown overboard?” said Mr Staples.
“Hump! Well—er—not till Mr Vandean is better. You’d like to keep it a little longer, eh?” said the captain, turning to the young invalid.
“Very much,” cried Mark, as he thought of the quaint little old man he and Bob Howlett had bought.
“Very well, you can for the present.”